This studio played hard to get for a while. The longer they stayed off of ClassPass, the more eager I became to try it. I thought about shelling out the money for a single class, but when push came to shove, I waited it out. Finally, my prayers were answered! As much as I wanted to check it out, it wasn’t until this weekend that I finally made the drive to Beverly Hills for a class.

Pre Sweat

The studio is located next to a Rite Aid and shares the parking lot. They validate for two hours, which is ideal if you want to take advantage of the showers before work. After checking in and filling out a three-page waiver, I was directed down the hall and to the first studio. This is the only barre studio I’ve seen with more than one room. The entire studio is located below ground level, which is really interesting for Los Angeles, as many homes don’t even have basements.

I put my stuff in cubby along the hallway but there were also lockers in the locker room (bring your own lock) and cabinets in the studio. I filled my water bottle and grabbed a complimentary towel before heading into the studio. Before class starts, you’ll need weights and they encourage heavy weights—I went for five-pounders.

Sweat

Like all barre classes, we started by lifting our legs and arms to the beat before moving through each muscle group. After the warm up, we went right into arms doing plenty of bicep curls and tricep kickbacks. Next we relocated to the barre for thighs, seat, and lastly, abs. We used a ball and resistance band for various exercises and also took “pushup breaks” in-between each section. Some of the exercises had cardio suggestions that really did get my heart rate up—which is hard to come by in barre. There were stretch breaks throughout and a longer one at the end.

Post Sweat

If you’re heading somewhere after, take advantage of the fully stocked bathrooms with showers. Around the area is a brand new Alo Yoga store, a Lululemon, and Go Greek. There’s also a Whole Foods nearby.

Tricks of the Trade

Sticky socks are required.

New clients are able to buy two classes for the price of one ($31).

The first month unlimited is only $125.

There are only five cities with Physique 57 studios and all are very upscale: NYC, the Hamptons, Dubai, Bangkok, and Beverly Hills.